A Noise Within’s ‘Much Ado’ a Lively, Witty Comic Romp

“Much Ado About Nothing,” Shakespeare’s romp about heroes returning from war to dally with their lady loves, receives a lively and intelligent staging at A Noise Within that almost completely exorcises the painful memory of Kenneth Branagh’s dumb film adaptation.

Unlike Branagh, who apparently believed that bare bums and high-decibel theatrics do a frolic make, director Sabin Epstein tempers his Regency-era staging with a restrained wit that augurs well for Shakespeare’s dry but naughty dialogue. Particularly fortuitous is Epstein’s casting of Jenna Cole and Mark Bramhall as Beatrice and Benedick, the confirmed spinster and bachelor whose passage from antipathy to passion forms the backbone of Shakespeare’s comedy. Wily stage veterans, a bit longer in the tooth than is usual for Beatrice and Benedick, Cole and Bramhall bring seasoned grace to their reluctant lovers but aren’t above lapsing into a little low comedy when the occasion calls for it.

J. Todd Adams plays young Claudio, beloved of Hero (Allison Sie), with precocious wryness. As Don Pedro, the Prince of Aragon and Claudio’s mentor, Dan Kern effectively intermingles the gravity of his station with a boyish desire to be just one of the guys. And Alan Blumenfeld as the moronic, malapropian Dogberry goes heroically over the top in an inspired comic turn.

By contrast, certain other performances are unfortunately prosaic. With the luminous exception of Cole, the women in the cast are weak. Sie’s Hero is pretty but stiff, while Hero’s serving women (Gail Shapiro and Hisa Takakuwa) never build up a head of steam in their potentially riotous roles. Some of the men are also at fault. Initially charming as Leonato, Hero’s indulgent father, Tim Halligan degenerates into mush-mouthed histrionics after Hero is accused of debauchery on her wedding day. As the scheming slanderer Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro, Richard Soto seems more petulant than genuinely nefarious. And James Karr is a bit shaky on his lines as Friar Francis.

Tom Buderwitz’s set is simple and functional, although its backdrop of lush portraits seems at odds with Epstein’s bitingly anti-romantic interpretation. Ken Booth’s cheery lighting is exceptional, as is Laura Karpman’s evocative original music. Alex Jaeger’s sumptuous costumes are a treat, particularly the women’s gowns, which could be straight out of a Jane Austen novel. Co-choreographers Patti Colombo and Epstein contribute lively period dances.

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* “Much Ado About Nothing,” A Noise Within, 234 S. Brand Ave., Glendale. Oct. 11, 2 and 7 p.m.; Oct. 14-16, Nov. 4, 14, 19, 8 p.m.; Nov. 1, 14, 2 p.m.; Nov. 1, 22, 7 p.m. Ends Nov. 22. $15. (818) 546-1924. Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes.